WASHINGTON, DC – Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), today issued the following statement in reaction to the Senate passage of the “America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018,” which includes reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA):

“Investment in water infrastructure, such as ports, inland waterways, locks and dams, is vital to the health of the steel industry, the U.S. economy and national security. A key aspect of this legislation will authorize the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to move forward with the budgeting, construction and eventual completion of the Soo Locks Modernization Project. More than 75 million tons of cargo annually passes through the Soo Locks, including nearly all of the iron ore that is mined in the United States for use by the American steel industry. AISI thanks Congress for working to ensure that this important resource to U.S. national security and economic health is appropriately revitalized.”